


The Mavericks

by archfire



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Action/Adventure
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-23
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 13:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/650778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archfire/pseuds/archfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>War begins when Karoia Akitav is captured by the Queen. Their modest village becomes a battlefield.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenari is a troll that my friend let me use, they wish to remain anonymous

Chapter 1

Karoia breathed into the microphone slowly, he had to do this right or not at all. The corners of his vision were tainted black. Then he began to speak.  
"This is Karoia, if you're listening to this it means I'm not coming back."  
He coughed violently while he shook on the floor.  
"I want to apologize for my weakness, for I have failed you"  
Blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth, a dull blue stream. He heard steps in the hall and rose shakily.  
"I'll never forget you, goodbye."  
The door creaked open and a figure stood in the doorway. The Queen stared at him with cold eyes, and he collapsed.

Zuroma's husktop blipped with an mp3 from Karoia. She sat up quickly, she hadn't heard from Karoia for days and she feared the worst. Her face fell as she listened to the message, it was what she feared. He wasn't coming back. Her brother entered the room to her shining green tears. She fell into Hazael's arms with a shriek that woke the village.  
Her voice was muffled by his chest. "He's dead, he's not coming back!"  
Hazael's voice was under toned by a deep sorrow. "He knew the risks when he left, you know that."  
"THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR WHAT I FEEL!" she shrieked.  
He winced. "I know that, but you mustn't wake the village with this news. We'll tell them tomorrow."  
She sobbed into the night and everyone heard her cries.

That next morning Hazael broke the news. Everyone was gathered in the stone village square. Zuroma stayed inside, refusing company. That day the town was silent, everyone coping in their own way. Mikael teleported to a far off mountain where he and Karoia used to talk the night away. Tenari sat in the feeding grounds with her lusus Conall and reminisced of the mornings spent sparring with Karoia. Alexei sat in her room just thinking. Hazael wanted to help his sister, but she wanted to be alone. Zuroma cried until she ran out of tears, and then cried more. The days seemed bleaker in their modest town after that, the months passed and life returned to normal for all but Zuroma.

Mikael burst into Zuroma's hive with an excited look on his face.  
"Karoia's ALIVE!" he rambled out of breath.  
She shot to her feet. "don't do this to me Mikael, I can't take another letdown."  
Mikael had had many different theories over the last month, all of which turned out to be untrue.  
"Turn on your husktop Zuroma" he said forcefully.  
She complied, he jumped in front of it and opened his messages. A video came up that showed Karoia on the dirt floor of a dark stone cell. A brute guard kicked him in the stomach and he cried out.  
"I can't watch this Mikael." She said shakily.  
"You have to."  
He stood up slowly and shoved a sharp rock into the guards throat. Blood spattered on Karoia's tunic, blotting out his symbol, a circle with double ram horns, and staining the wall. The guard crumpled to the floor. He then looked at the camera and began to speak.  
"Mikael, get the town together... I think I know how to defeat the Queen." His voice was pained and weak.  
"I will meet you-"  
The door slammed open and a knife embedded itself into Karoia's thigh twisting into the muscle. He screamed and threw a rock at the camera. The video shut off and the message was sent.  
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT MIKAEL!?" Zuroma yelled.  
"It's hope." He said quietly.  
She spoke quietly "Sorry I snapped, I just can't take any more disappointment."  
"It's alright"  
Mikael left without another word, leaving Zuroma to her personal thoughts. The town gathered that night to hear the sentence that started a war.  
"Let's go get Karoia."

The next week was spent preparing for the journey that would change their lives forever. A human showed up at their village his flowing caramel locks swayed in the wind, with a look of complete awe on his face His name was Luke. He had twin Kamas in his hand, which Tenari immediately rid him of. He was thrown into a dark room and interrogated.  
"Are you a spy for the queen?" said Hazael with a look of cold death.  
"N-no" Luke stammered.  
He explained that he was from a completely different world called earth, and that he was transported here by the use of a disc called SBURB. Hazael was about to strike his head from his body when Tenari stayed his hand.  
"I believe him." She stated.  
"Very well, he'll live...for now." Hazael hissed.  
"Keep him here while we go get Karoia, he'll know what to do with him."  
"How long will you be gone?!" Luke said angrily  
"SHUT UP! You're lucky to be alive." Hazael snarled.  
And on that note he slammed the door shut and bolted it with a loud THUNK.

They left the village the next day at dawn. The Queen's castle grew closer as the day progressed and everyone became jumpy and nervous. They formulated a battle plan just out of the guards sight. Conall ripped the door off its hinges and Tenari burst in ripping through the dozens of guards posted inside. Mikael shot a wave of fire down the hall burning everything but the stone. The group shot into the dungeon when a horrible shrieking filled the air. A booming voice filled the air.  
"Who were you contacting?"  
There was a wrenching sound as a knife was ripped from someone's torso. A bloodcurdling scream filled the air which Zuroma recognized.  
"THATS KAROIA" She stated with sudden realization.  
"WE HAVE TO HURRY!"  
They burst into the room to come face to face with the Queen just as she ripped the knife's jagged edge across Karoia's body. The floor was stained in a pool of deep blue with Karoia standing in the middle of it. At the sight of their group in a rage at Karoia's imprisonment the Queen disappeared just a Zuroma's sword swished through the space where she previously stood. Everyone looks at Karoia.  
"You came for me." He whispered in awe.  
Then he crumpled to the floor.


	2. Unrest

Chapter 2  
"KAROIA!"  
Zuroma rushed to his side and hoisted him onto Conall's enormous back. They rushed from the castle but they had not seen the last of the queen. When they returned home Luke was still in the cellar, but Karoia was in no condition to handle him now. He was set on his bed and immediately treated by Alexei. As the only healer in their group she had authority in this setting.  
"Everyone out." She said in a tone that allowed no further discussion.  
There were screams from that room all through the night. Zuroma had to be held back from charging in there to stop the treatment, however the surgery was successful in all but one respect. The nerve endings on his left arm were mostly destroyed so they felt no more pain. Hazael was angry with Karoia. He was angry that he put Zuroma through all that to come back afterwards. Of course he shared this with no one. Nobody would understand the origin of his feelings. He and Zuroma had known each other since they were grubs. They were basically family, which is why they called each other "brother" and "sister". He started to act on these feelings though, being hostile to Karoia when near him, snide remarks, and the occasional angry glare. These became more frequent and Hazael began to act out against Karoia in the chain of command. Mikael was the only person who understood his anger, however he did not share in it. Hazael and Mikael became Morails and spent much time together.  
"What's your plan Hazael?"   
"I don't know, I feel like Karoia isn't fit to lead. And it's my responsibility to take care of it." He said with conviction.  
"Now you're just being ridiculous Hazael." Said Mikael in an angry tone.  
Mikael stormed off to his hive and Hazael knew better than to follow. 

Meanwhile the Queen was plotting in her tower on the edge of the land. She looked over at the jar she had prepared on her desk. Inside was a mosquito, a very special mosquito. It carried a poison that made someone allergic to everything on the planet. It would die after it stung so she only had one shot to take out Karoia. She planned to release it tomorrow at daybreak with Karoia's scent fixed to its nose. When it found him it would strike, it was fool proof.  
"Once he is out of the way I shall destroy their town and anyone who dares face me again." She laughed maniacally.

The next day the mosquito buzzed into their town following its nose. It found its way into Karoia's hive where Hazael was arguing with him. Hazael was sweating profusely and in sore need of a towel.   
"IM SICK OF YOU KAROIA!"  
"YOU TRY TO LEAD BUT GUESS WHO DID EVERYTHING WHILE YOU WERE GONE....ME!"  
"WHO COMFORTED ZUROMA IN YOUR ABSENCE? ME!"  
"AND I DID A MUCH BETTER JOB THAN YOU DID!"  
"Hazael, shut your mouth." Karoia hissed low and menacing.  
"You have no idea what it means to lead."  
"All you did was fill in for a couple of months, and to be honest people were already getting sick of your whiny little voice."  
"Tenari started giving orders that were listened to over yours."  
"You understand? Nobody needs you here."  
"Nobody needs you darting about acting like you're all that."  
"You're a spare Hazael, you're just a spare guy nobody needs."  
"So get out of my house before I kick your ass."  
Flustered, Hazael stormed out. The mosquito was overwhelmed by Hazael's scent and followed him out the door. While mumbling to himself Hazael felt a sharp sting on his neck. He thought nothing of it at the time but while he was walking home he passed out. The mosquito had stung him. He was slowly breaking out, his throat was swelling up. This poison doesn't let you die quickly, you suffocate for hours in extreme pain. Alexei tried everything to ease the pain, but it was never enough.

The funeral took place the next day, it was a warriors burial. He was lowered into his grave with his scythe in his hands. Zuroma sat on the couch crying and crying. Karoia did what he could, but how do you comfort someone? How do you tell them it's alright when it isn't? What's right to say and what's wrong? What do you tell them? Karoia was at a loss, most of the time he just sat with her, stroking her hair and holding her.

Luke was admitted freedom after Hazael's death, being imprisoned for weeks the first thing he asked for were his Kamas. He got what he wished, but if he threatened anyone he was to be killed immediately. He and Alexei grew close and a love bloomed there. 

A new human entered the picture, she wielded a nunchuk and knew Luke from their old world. There were feelings lingering between them, that much was obvious. It was clear Luke moved on, but not Mari. Mari was sure Luke would come back to her.

The Queen was back in her tower in a rage. Her plan had failed, she hadn't killed Karoia. In fact she got rid of a problem for him that was causing unrest. You could even say she helped him.  
"Fetch my carriage" she commanded regally  
"I have an announcement to make."

So she gathered her armies and marched for the village. If scheming and plotting wouldn't take care of the problem, then she would take care of it herself. When the news reached them that morning that the queen was marching for their town there was a panic. Because of the size of her army it would take a week of marching to cover the distance, instead of the day it took their group. Karoia entered the fray of their panicking village with an air of leadership. Once everyone was under control he split up their forces for different jobs.  
"Mikael, I want you to start building a wall. Your magic should help create a better wall than even the Queen's."  
"Alexei, set about gathering anything you'll need to treat wounds on the battlefield. I trust you know what that entails."  
"Zuroma, I need your help drawing battle plans. We need the best tactics to defeat the Queen's superior numbers."  
"Tenari, create new weapons. We need arrows and defense for the walls. Maybe a ballista, you know what to do."  
Everyone set about their tasks. Over the next week the preparations were made and the Queen's army loomed on the horizon. Nobody slept that night, the next day it was life or death.

That morning everyone took up their positions. Mikael's wall was in fact grander than the Queen's. It was 20 feet tall with pikes halfway up that prevented the use of things such as Siege Engines. Alexei used her lusus Philan to carry all of her supplies. Tenari had pots of boiling oil to use on the soldiers, as well as two ballistae that would rip into the enemy's ranks. Karoia and Zuroma had the perfect battle plan to thin the Queen's ranks. The army stopped and the Queen's booming voice filled the air.  
"I shall give you on chance to surrender your town to my rule and I will leave you unharmed."  
"NOT ON YOUR LIFE BITCH!" was their answer.  
"Well, I gave you a chance."  
"ATTACK!"


	3. The Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its a REALLY short chapter

Chapter 3  
The battle began. Mikael picked up a rock, and it began to glow. He hurled it into the ranks of soldiers and it exploded with a deafening BANG. Men dropped with little shards of rock in their throats. The soldiers were disoriented and this is when the lusi struck. Samael, Karoia's demon lusus, shot fire into their ranks and tore through with teeth and claws. Simultaneously Conall, Tenari's wolf lusus, charged into the fray, ripping hundreds of soldiers to shreds. All the while Mikael was launching ballista shots into the struggle. 2/3 of the Queen's army fell before she realized what was going on. All of a sudden, a hurricane exploded from the center of the field. The Queen was entering the battle. An ice spike flew at Karoia, gashing deep into the muscle of his arm. But he felt no pain. He walked slowly into the battle with his whip staff glinting in the morning sun. A soldier swung his sword to the left. Karoia blocked the blow, twisted the blade from the soldier's grasp, and hit him with an uppercut to the face. The blow wasn't life threatening, but the poison on Karoia's whips were. The soldier fell, writhing in pain while his face slowly burned off. Another soldier attacked, but Karoia swept his legs and smashed his face with the butt of his staff. He then twirled in a wide arc that lashed at dozens of soldiers around him. Another ice spike gashed his upper arm. Karoia charged at the Queen, the spike at the top of his staff found nothing. The Queen had disappeared. The battle was over quickly, every last soldier was dispatched. Then a shadow descended upon the village. A fleet of ships flew through the air and dropped thousands upon thousands of soldiers. The trolls fought back but these soldiers were different than the last, they moved quicker, they swung harder. Karoia looked around and saw Mikael fall overwhelmed, Tenari ran to Conall and was shot in the back, Alexei lay on the ground while Philan coiled around her. And there was Zuroma, dead piled at her feet, fighting valiantly. And she fell with a sword stroke to the head. That was when Karoia blacked out.  
He woke in a dark stone cell, with a damp musty smell. There were TV's set up just outside the bars, kind of ironic considering he was in a medieval castle. He froze when he saw what was displayed. Mikael was bound in glowing cloth with a bloody gash on his head. Tenari sat chained to the wall tears flowing. Conall was lying bloody and broken on the floor. Alexei lay unmoving. And then he saw Zuroma, standing tall and reserved in her cell. Unfettered she stared into the distance. She then cried out and collapsed to the floor. She shook on the ground, holding her head. The Queen nonchalantly strode in and the shaking intensified. Her arm rose and Zuroma lifted into the air. Karoia slammed against the bars of his cell.  
"ZUROMA!" He shrieked as her head snapped back.  
He slammed into the door again and again, till the dust fell from the ceiling. He heard a sickening crunch as Zuroma's limbs bent in all the wrong directions. She whispered one word.  
"Karoia."  
Then she slumped to the floor, unconscious. Karoia sat up against the cell door whispering her name over and over.  
"Zuroma.... Zuroma.... Zuroma." his voice sad and defeated.  
He watched as her breathing slowed, he watched as she lay on the floor, he watched as her chest stopped moving...he watched her die. Streaks of blue slid down and hit the floor with little splashes. He howled into the night. And then he thought, what of the humans? He didn't see them on the battlefield. If they had fought, would they have won? He treated them with hospitality, with respect, and they can't even help the village! These thoughts ran through his head while he heard a cheerful voice.  
"Hey! I came to rescue you!" Luke spoke in a cheerful tone.  
The cell door creaked open as Luke unlocked it. Karoia roared and tackled him into the hall. He beat his face over and over till his knuckles were bloody. He heard a crack and another crack. He had broken Luke's nose and jaw. Luke groaned.  
"DOES THIS HURT!?" Karoia asked with madness in his eyes.  
"THIS IS WHAT SHE FELT! OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!" Tears clouded his vision.  
"Never return to my village again or I'll kill you myself." Karoia spat.  
He left Luke there groaning on the floor. He found himself at Tenari's cell, her shackles were off and she was cooing over Conall. He looked bad, Samael was in better condition. Samael carried Conall out with them. They arrived at Mikael's cell. He was in bad condition, he lost a lot of blood. They ripped off the bonds, but he couldn't even stand. Karoia carried him down a long dark hall to Alexei's cell. Alexei rushed up against the cell door. The opened the cell and Alexei gave Mikael a serum from a hidden pocket in her jeans.  
"Will he be ok?" Karoia asked nervously.  
"Yes, but only if we leave immediately."  
"Let's go then." He said in earnest.  
"Wait, where's about Zuroma?"  
Karoia looked up at her, his eyes filled with regret.  
"Oh no...I'm sorry."  
"Let's just go." Karoia snapped.  
They exited through the grand hall. The gravel of the walkway crunched beneath their feet. Hedges lined the road. The group plodded towards the village. The tension was palpable, Karoia turned to the group.  
"I'm going back, I can't leave her there."  
"Are you crazy! If they catch you you're done."  
A strange voice carried through the air. "Not if he's with me fucktards."


End file.
